Henowstooduponthelong，steep，narrowbridge，whichcrossedtheriverclosetoCarrigvarah，thefamilymansionoftheO’Maras；helookedbackinthedirectioninwhichhehadlefthiscompanion，andleaninguponthebattlement，heruminatedlongandmoodily。Atlengthheraisedhimselfandsaid：
’Helovesthegirl，andWILLlovehermore——Ihaveanopportunityofwinningfavour，ofdoingservice，whichshallbindhimtome；yes，heshallhavethegirl，ifIhavearttocompassthematter。Imustthinkuponit。’
Heenteredtheavenueandwassoonlostinthedistance。
Daysandweekspassedon，andyoungO’Maradailytookhisrodandnet，andrambleduptheriver；andscarcetwelvehourselapsedinwhichsomeofthoseaccidents，whichinvariablybringloverstogether，didnotsecurehimameetingoflongerorshorterduration，withthebeautifulgirlwhomhesofatallyloved。
Oneevening，afteralonginterviewwithher，inwhichhehadbeenalmostirresistiblypromptedtodeclarehislove，andhadallbutyieldedhimselfuptothepassionateimpulse，uponhisarrivalathomehefoundaletteronthetableawaitinghisreturn；itwasfromhisfathertothefollowingeffect：